Stories Based On Taylor Swift Songs

EVERMORE: 141. Happiness

141. Happiness (1/17/21)

"Do you want anything, babe?" I whispered to Tom, who was too busy discussing fantasy football games and school assignments to hear me. He shooed me away with the flick of his wrist, which I took as a "yes" to my question. So I sauntered off in search of the snacks and refreshments, my light purple flapper dress swishing against my legs as I walked.

Some of the girls from school sent me sympathetic smiles and waves. They all saw that I was here with Tom. It wasn't like I didn't know that they pitied me. I would pity the girl dating Tom, if it wasn't for the fact that I was the girl dating him. He was known as a serial dater around school, hopping from one girl to the next like a frog in a pond. I wouldn't be surprised if he was seeing someone else right now, even though he had given me his class ring last month. It was supposed to mean we would be together forever. My mother was thrilled. I was not.

I passed the steps that led up to the second floor and caught sight of Jay Gatsby, the host of the party. He waved at me as well, that handsome smirk on his face. For some reason, I always felt drawn to him. Maybe it was the way he always said hello to me, whether it was at school or at his parties. The other guys didn't bother to greet me because they knew I was Tom's girl. But not Jay. He always took the risk and smiled at me.

I glanced over my shoulder, wondering where Tom had wandered off to. He was still in the drawing room talking with his friends, so I climbed the steps and met Jay at the landing.

"I was hoping you would show face, Daisy," he said, crossing his arms against the fabric of his white jacket. "Are you here with Tom?"

I sighed and said, "Yes. Although he's talking with some friends. I was meant to get him a drink."

"As if he can't get it himself," Jay replied with a smirk. I couldn't help but chuckle and nod - he had a point. Tom was always asking for favors, whether or not he could do it himself.

"Can I show you my room?" He asked, offering his hand. I glanced back down the steps; from here, I couldn't see Tom and his friends talking, surrounded by clouds of smoke. I knew if I returned to the drawing room, I would be miserable the rest of the night. So I took Jay's offer and grabbed his hand.

He led me up the steps and down a hallway. His room was the last door. When he opened it and we walked inside, my eyes grew wide at the sight. A large bed sat in the middle of the room, with a glass door on the farthest wall. I knew Jay had a balcony in his room, because I would see him standing out there every so often from my own house. Sometimes, even though I knew he couldn't see me, I would wave.

We slid open the screen door and stood on the balcony, just the two of us. The horizon was cloudy and foggy, so I couldn't see my house or even Tom's. I could, however, hear the water lapping against the shore.

"How's Nick doing?" I asked Jay, leaning my hands against the white railing of the balcony. His friend, Nick Carroway, had moved to the bay last year and had trouble adjusting to the high society and relationship drama amongst the students in our class.

Jay shrugged, standing next to me. "Fine, I suppose. He's with some guy the year ahead of us."

I couldn't help but smile and say, "Good for him. It's not every day you find a good relationship here."

I realized that my words were strange and foreign to Jay's ears, and when he glanced up at me, confusion was dripping from his eyes. "What do you mean?"

If I could take back the words, I would, but they were already out in the open. I sighed and said, "I'm not happy with Tom."

Jay stood up to his full height, and I realized how much taller he was than me in that moment. "How come?"

"It's like you said earlier," I explained. "He believes me to be his servant. He doesn't listen to me when I talk. And I think he's seeing someone else, maybe someone who doesn't go to school with us."

Jay groaned. "I had a feeling. When I heard you two were seeing each other, I wanted to warn you, but...I didn't want to intrude."

"He gave me his class ring, Jay." My words felt hollow; I was truly at a loss as to what to do. "What am I supposed to do?"

When I looked up at Jay, he had a sympathetic look on his face. I noticed in his eyes that he was thinking everything over, but he also wouldn't stop staring at me. It was as if he was staring into my soul.

Then his lips were on mine, and I learned everything I needed to know in that kiss. It wasn't the type of kiss Tom and I ever shared. Ours were messy, kisses my mother would faint at if she ever saw them. But with Jay, it felt like I was in a fairytale. I was the princess, and he was the knight in shining armor coming to rescue me.

"Run away with me, Daisy," he said, taking me by the hand. "You don't wanna be stuck in a loveless marriage with Tom, I know it."

Before I knew what was happening, I was agreeing to his plan, and we were running down the front steps and out the house. If anyone noticed that Jay and I were together, when I should have been with Tom, I didn't care.

Jay opened the garage door and asked me to pick one of the cars. I ended up choosing a deep black two-door sports car, and he seemed impressed with my choice. He snatched the keys, and we climbed inside.

I didn't have time to think about what I was doing. We were sailing down the road, away from Jay's mansion and away from my life with Tom. I knew he would be upset, and I knew that I had hurt him by leaving. But he had hurt me as well. He was always telling me what to do, and even though I didn't know whether or not he was seeing someone else, the fact that I was suspicious was enough to leave him.

I wondered who this other woman was. I hoped she was a beautiful fool, one who followed Tom blindly like I had done at the beginning of our relationship. She would play the role of Tom's girlfriend perfectly.

I didn't need to wonder anymore. Jay was riding such a high that he didn't notice the girl crossing the street. He barreled right into her, her blood spraying the windows. I couldn't breathe; the air in the car was stale and suffocating. The girl's dead body lay in the road. I learned later that her name was Myrtle, and she had been seeing Tom for a few months. She had been the other girl.

You should know how the story goes from here. After Myrtle's death, her boyfriend believed that Jay was the man Myrtle was seeing, not Tom. He sought after Jay and killed him. I wasn't allowed to attend the funeral. My mother forced me to see Tom. I tried to defend my happiness at any time, but no one would listen. Tom blamed me for the accident. He was furious that I tried to leave him for Jay Gatsby. I eventually learned to tune him out.